Should I fly into Casablanca or Fes? See chart below for guidance.
ARRIVING IN CASABLANCA:
Upon Arrival at Mohammed V Casablanca Airport
Step 1: Collect your bags and proceed to customs; get your passport stamped
Step 2: Follow the clearly marked train station signs from the baggage claim area until you reach the escalators and stairs heading to level -1. There you will find access to the airport's underground train station, called “Aeroport Med V.”
Step 3: Change some foreign currency into Dirhams or withdraw Dirhams from an ATM.
Step 4: Purchase 1st class ticket (about 235DH) to Fes at the “Billetterie” (Ticket office). Proceed to the platform and board train when instructed. Below is a sample train itinerary from the Casablanca Airport to Fes. You must change trains in CASA VOYAGEURS station. Fes is the last stop after you change trains. You may visit the ONCF website to see other possible train times and prices.
Arrival at the Fes Train Station
Exit the train station and proceed to the main road in front of the station to get a taxi. Do not get a taxi from anyone standing right at the gate when you depart the station. The taxis you need will be waiting on the road, are red and known as “Petit Taxis.” See photo below to see what “Petit Taxis” look like.
If you are staying at the ALIF Residence Hall, simply tell the driver that you are going to “Le Centre Americain,” which is how it’s known locally. Of course, you can use your Arabic and tell them you’re going to المركز الامريكي if you’d rather. Do not say you’re going to “ALIF” as we’re more known locally as simply the American Center.
If you’d rather not worry about the train, ALIF can arrange for pickup at the Casablanca airport. This is a convenient way to get directly to ALIF, but it is costly. For 1-3 passengers the one-way fare is about 1,700DH.
If you take the train to Fes and would like to be met at the train station, that can be arranged as well.
Contact Faiçal Marzouq at fmarzouq@acamorocco.org to arrange pick-ups from either the airport in Casablanca or the train station in Fes. Please write at least one week in advance of your arrival.
NOTE: Direct flights from the U.S. to Morocco are on Royal Air Maroc (codeshare with American Airlines) departing from Miami (MIA), New York (JFK), and Washington-Dulles (IAD). From Canada, there are direct flights from Montreal (YUL) on both Royal Air Maroc and Air Canada. If you do fly into Casablanca (CMN), do not book an additional continuing flight from there to Fes!
ARRIVING IN FES:
Upon Arrival at Fes-Saïs International Airport
Step 1: Proceed to customs, get your passport stamped, and collect your bags.
Step 2: Head to the main hall in the airport where a member of the ALIF staff will be waiting for you.
Step 3: Change some foreign currency into Dirhams or withdraw Dirhams from an ATM.
NOTE: Given the irregular hours of public transportation between the Fes Airport and the city of Fes (some 14kms), we require all arriving students to arrange pickup through our housing coordinator, Faiçal Marzouq (fmarzouq@acamorocco.org). Please email Faiçal at least a week in advance with arrival details. Pickup from Fes airport to center city is 175DH, paid in cash to the driver.
VISAS
Students arriving from the following countries do not need a visa:
All European Union citizens, Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Hong Kong (30 days), Iceland, Indonesia , Ivory Coast, Japan, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Macau, Mali, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Niger, Norway, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore (30 days), South Korea, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States, Venezuela.
You will be allowed to stay for up to 90 days. If you are staying in Morocco for more than the three months allowed, you will have to leave the country and re-enter to obtain an additional 90 days.